★De la Rosa, Liana. Isabel and the Rogue. Books on Tape. (The Luna Sisters, Bk. 2). Apr. 2024. 11:53 hrs. ISBN 9780593907535. $95. HISTORICAL ROMANCE

Determined not to be the “forgotten” Luna sister, Isabel Luna Valdés’s only goal is to discover any British intelligence useful to her home country of Mexico, currently under French occupation. Being a wallflower has its uses, as no one seems to notice her during the sparkling London season, and Isabel is free to search for information in secret. However, at least one person, Captain Sirius Dawson of the British Home Office, has espied her slipping away. Also conducting covert assignments, Sirius secretly pines for the one Luna sister who matches his wit, but now Isabel is convinced he is nothing but a rake. When Isabel and Sirius’s secrets finally collide, so too does their chemistry. But above all, Isabel is determined to aid Mexico, making a forever love seemingly out of the question. VERDICT Ruby Hunt returns to narrate the second installment in De la Rosa’s “Luna Sisters” series (following Ana María and the Fox), using her seasoned talent to portray the many voices of the large cast of characters, capturing especially Captain Dawson’s warm British accent and Isabel’s Spanish-inflected English. Libraries should plan on stocking the complete series for historical romance readers.—Elizabeth Gabriel

★Poston, Ashley. A Novel Love Story. Books on Tape. Jun. 2024. 10:57 hrs. ISBN 9780593907320. $95. PARANORMAL ROMANCE

Heartbroken after a failed engagement, Elsy Merriweather is further disheartened when her book group flakes on their annual cabin weekend. Elsy decides to take a solo vacation, but a storm pushes her off course. She is shocked to realize that she’s landed in Eloraton, the fictional town featured in her favorite romance novels. Everything is in place except for the grumpy, swoon-worthy bookstore owner, Anderson. The longer Elsy stays, the more she changes the story, and the more it changes her. As she tries to avoid falling for Anderson, who seems like he was written just for her, she must also find a way home. In this love letter to romance readers, Poston (The Seven Year Slip) sidesteps tropes to pen a novel story with great depth. Narrator Dorothy Dillingham Blue gives life to the characters, making each distinct. Her portrayal of Elsy brims with emotion and feeling, and Elsy’s Georgia accent never veers into hokeyness. Author Poston reads the acknowledgments in a conversational tone that borders on overacting, but she reins it in for a touching testament about the lives readers give stories after they’re written. VERDICT A must-read for romance lovers and anyone who loves the magic of stories.—Zoey Colglazier